Rebuke-4 The Sacrifice

To Heaven with obedience; and it begins with Jesus, in His desire to obey the Father. But here on Earth it begins with Our Lady. When Mary told the Angel Gabriel, “let it be to me according to your word." Mary allowed God’s will to be carried out through her.

• Luke describes Mary as the woman who treasures and guards in her heart, the passage of Jesus.
• With Mary, Jesus learned to listen to the yearnings, the troubles and the hopes of the people.

‘Mary is there.' Mary is with the disciples: One had denied Him and all the others had fled being afraid. Mary had gone through the darkest moments in her journey as a mother.

Her motherly intercession at the wedding in Cana and her presence in the Upper Room at the Apostles' side as they prayed in expectation of Pentecost is an essential form of co-operation in  the work of salvation. Mary was able to watch over the beginnings of the first Christian community. 

In presenting Jesus in the temple and, especially, at the foot of the Cross, Mary completes the gift of herself which associates her as Mother with the suffering and trials of her Son. As in the Eucharistic celebration, Mary encourages us to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 

Mary in her most agonising moments teaches us the virtue of love. Mary our Mother that Jesus gifted us, guide our footsteps in our moments of hardship!

Mama Mary, keep us all under your mantle of love and protection.

  

The Will of God
Matthew 12:46-50 While he was still speaking to the people, behold, his mother and his brothers stood outside, asking to speak to him. But he replied to the man who told him, "Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?" And stretching out his hand toward his disciples, he said, "Here are my mother and my brothers! For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother, and sister, and mother."

Mark 3:31-35 And his mother and his brothers came; and standing outside they sent to him and called him. And a crowd was sitting about him; and they said to him, "Your mother and your brothers are outside, asking for you." And he replied, "Who are my mother and my brothers?" And looking around on those who sat about him, he said, "Here are my mother and my brothers! Whoever does the will of God is my brother, and sister, and mother." 

Luke 8:19-21 Then his mother and his brothers came to him, but they could not reach him for the crowd. And he was told, “Your mother and your brothers are standing outside, desiring to see you.” But he said to them, “My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and do it.”

Jesus reveals a detachment from His family especially Mother Mary. Jesus was preparing His mother for the great sacrifice of Calvary where Mary would be required to make the greater renouncement- accepting the sacrifice of her Son for the salvation of the world.

Luke includes an incident about Mary, which contains two beatitudes. “Blessed is the womb that bore you and the breasts that you sucked.” &

“Blessed rather are those who hear the Word of God and keep it.” Jesus admits His mother is worthy of praise not because she gave birth to Him but because Mary is an example of the true disciple who heard the Word of God and kept it.

Luke 1:45 - And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfilment of what was spoken to her from the Lord."
Jesus extends this beatitude of Mary to all believers who do the same.

The Words of Elizabeth to Mary and the words of Mary - The Magnificat.

Listen to the Word of God and action on-It is the best weapon against Satan. Ephesians 6:17 - And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

Luke 8:20 and Mark 3:32 Mary is referred to as “Your Mother” (look above verses)

In all the three Gospel passages (ABOVE) the reason they are standing outside is because of the crowd around Jesus.

Luke v.21-In Mark 3:35 “…does the will of God.” In Luke the true family are those who HEAR The WOG and put it in practise.
Jesus introduces the new family: Luke 9:59-60, 14:26

• The fruit of HEARING The Word of God transforms believers into mothers, brothers and sisters of Jesus who act in the same way as Our Lord.
• This passage also brings out the greatness of Mary as she is the first to HEAR The WOG and put it into practise.
• Luke’s Gospel presents Mary as HEARING and welcoming God’s Word so perfectly that it becomes Flesh in her.
• Mary is the perfect example of the true disciple.
• This scene is not to be understood as if the hearers of The WOG replaces Mary and His family but all those who are ready to HEAR The WOG enter into a new relationship with Jesus as family.

• To HEAR the WOG is a secret action. (No one knows if you have actually heard The WOG or not)
• When difficulties, suffering, temptations, persecutions arise, the secret of the heart will be revealed.
• The one who HEARD and reflected and stored The WOG in their heart will respond and act differently from the one who has not.
• Jesus faced and overcame the devil with The WOG. (Matthew 4:1-11, Luke 4:1-13)
• A disciple who has not made their inner being strong with a desert experience in prayer and on HEARING and Listening and reflecting on The WOG will not be able to overcome temptations and trials in this world and bear fruit.

Please also read: http://godofimpossibles.blogspot.in/2018/05/rebuke-2-trials.html

Our deserts can be the very places where God finds us and calls us back to a life in Him.  How we walk will be a reflection on our spiritual life.

As the lures of the material world get stripped away, we begin to turn our hearts toward God and seek to discover what is truly important in our life. ‘A desert experience,’ is a place of warning as well as the place of a spiritual encounter.

Moses led the people of Israel as they wandered in the desert. On their way to the Promised Land, through the desert the people of God grumbled: and said to them, "Would that we had died by the hand of the LORD in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the fleshpots and ate bread to the full; for you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger." Exodus 16:3. And yet God cares for them and nourishes them on quail, with manna from heaven and with water from a rock.

For forty years, God tested them, freed them from their attachments to Egypt, to make them His People. God found them: Deuteronomy 32:10 "He found them in a wilderness, a wasteland of howling desert. He shielded them, cared for them, guarded them as the apple of his eye."

Jesus entered the desert and experienced temptations. But it is not only about temptations – it is also where we encounter God. The Israelites encountered God in the desert and received the covenant in the Ten Commandments. 

Please also read: http://godofimpossibles.blogspot.in/2018/05/rebuke-3-wilderness.html

Zechariah in his praising God, prophesied these words, “And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High; for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways, to give knowledge of salvation to his people in the forgiveness of their sins,” Luke 1:76-77

The passage goes on to say that - And the child grew and became strong in spirit, and he was in the wilderness till the day of his manifestation to Israel.” Luke 1:80.

John the Baptist lived in the wilderness (desert) and prepared the way for the Messiah. He lived on a diet of locusts and wild honey. He was a man completely set in place by God for a purpose. He preached the repentance of sins. “I baptize you with water for repentance, but he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry; he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. Matthew 3:11. 

His purpose remained strong, He must increase, but I must decrease.” John 3:30.

That day, when Jesus approached John at the Jordan near Bethany, John cried out: “Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” With awe he had baptized Jesus and then saw the Spirit descend like a dove and remain on Him. Matthew 3:17 and lo, a voice from heaven, saying, "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased."

From that point John directed people to follow Jesus. And they had. 

John didn’t live to please people. He called out the Pharisees and Sadducees, for what they truly were. He knew their hearts and lives were far away from God. He spoke the truth to Herod, for he had taken Herodias, his brother’s wife, to become his own, while his brother was still alive. (In us Catholics, you marry only once and adultery is a sin against God. The sixth commandment of the 10 commandments states - "You shall not commit adultery”) 

John was in Herod’s prison. But alone in the cell he was tormented by doubts and fears. It would look like he doubted. And here is John’s question to Jesus.

And John, calling to him two of his disciples, sent them to the Lord, saying, "Are you he who is to come, or shall we look for another?" In that hour he cured many of diseases and plagues and evil spirits, and on many that were blind he bestowed sight. And he answered them, "Go and tell John what you have seen and heard: the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, the poor have good news preached to them. And blessed is he who takes no offense at me." Luke 7:19-23

Jesus loved John. The question that John asks of Jesus in (Luke 7:19-23) happens much after the below paragraph (John 1:32-34). Listen, to the lines below-

And John bore witness, “I saw the Spirit descend as a dove from heaven, and it remained on him. I myself did not know him; but he who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain, this is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ And I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son of God.” John 1:32-34

After John described Jesus, Andrew and another disciple left John to follow Jesus.

John did not have doubts. He wanted his disciples to listen to the words of Jesus-the answer to the question and be totally convinced. He was preparing his disciples for the person whom they should follow.
 3

Jesus words on John in Matthew 11:11- Truly, I say to you, among those born of women there has risen no one greater than John the Baptist; yet whoever is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he”

John was imprisoned. Herodias wanted him dead. His task was to prepare the way of the Lord. He trusted Jesus, but he had to ask the question-ask so that the ones who listen would know that Jesus is the Promised One. The last thing he could do before his death, to one last time show the way to Jesus. Jesus understood John’s pain, the turmoil he was in. John would have loved to be with Jesus, to hear His voice. To love so much, to wait on God your whole life. To be near for a mere some minutes, it’s just not enough.  

Jesus knew His words would bring peace to John. And it did.

On Herod’s birthday celebration, in response to a promise he had given, John’s life was brought to an end. John was killed while in prison and his head presented on a platter to Herodias’s daughter, who asked her father for the head of John as directed by her mother.

John’s mission was completed. He had lived to point others to our Savior.
In John’s darkest moments, Jesus sent a promise to sustain John’s faith. He will do the same for us.

John’s life was a life in the desert. He lived and prepared himself to God’s calling, for one purpose alone – to point others to Jesus Christ. 

John knew his CALL!

While we cannot know why we are called into the desert, all we need to do is Hope and Believe, that where God is taking us, is where we need to be. The desert is a harsh place which will wear us down, but through it all we must remain open to God-His ways in our life. Only then we will come to experience-encounter God completely.

The question that arises is whether God has abandoned? There is this lack of feeling and absence of joy?

I believe we are called to offer whatever faithfulness we can to God in these trying times.

If you find yourself in the midst of a desert, know that we are not alone. Jesus is with you and me. Embrace the desert for what it is. And God’s love will make even the desert, however it might be-with all its heat and turmoil seem to be a beautiful place. It is said and I believe that the destination always makes the journey seem to be the most fantastic part of it all.

Jesus, after being baptized, by John went into the desert to fast and pray for 40 days where He was tempted by the devil. After rejecting temptation, this desert became the place of renewal, as Angels came to minister to Him there.
The deserts are places of both temptation and doubt, but they can also be the occasion for deep spiritual renewal.


God is leading us through our desert experience. God allows us to experience times of dryness. In our feelings of lack of God’s presence, we begin to seek Him in earnest. We come to realize Jesus saying in John 15:5 I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in me, and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.

The real desert - is a large area of land, usually in a hot region, which has almost no water, rain or trees. 

It was known for Prophets to use the isolation of the desert to grow spiritually and to surrender themselves to God. A desert experience is ‘total absence of comfort’-’total absence of everything’. And that is precisely what John did. And this - in this day and age to do is quite impossible. Talk about addiction to cells and TV and not to forget the cooling system. And yes our addiction to money and travelling. So when we speak of a desert and being in one, it is implied that our sustenance must come from God. We must rely on Him for everything because when we are in the desert we have nothing other than God to look up to. And that is what the desert experience teaches one. It teaches me that GOD is my every answer. That I am absolutely nothing without HIM. That no matter how dark and lonely it gets, God is and will always be in the deepest part of my heart. I may not hear HIM, but I know with a certainty that there is a dawn after the darkest night. 

God has a purpose for our lives! HE has a purpose for me! 

Written as guided by the Holy-Spirit. As explained by FR. ASHLYN and notes included–Bible Class.

Thank You, Abba Father.
Thank You, Jesus.
Thank You, Holy Spirit.


Please do read:
To REBUKE or not...
Rebuke 2-Trials
Rebuke 3-The Wilderness

The celebration of the MASS!

Rebuke 3-The Wilderness

The temptations of Jesus in the wilderness occurs just before He begins His ministry and immediately after His baptism in the Jordan river, when the Holy Spirit had descended upon Jesus "like a dove" and a voice from Heaven was heard, "You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased" (Mark 1:9-11; Matthew 3:13-17; Luke 3:21-22).

• All three passages indicate that Jesus was "led by the Spirit" into the wilderness in order to be tempted by the devil/tempter/Satan. (Wilderness - implies a place-desert, reminder of Israel’s 40 years in the wilderness before they entered the Promised Land)(Interior disposition-mind, heart which Satan attacks) A desolate place-a place "to be tempted by the devil." 
• The events mentioned here have taken either forty days or forty years.

          After 40 days of the flood Noah opened the window of the ark which he had made. 

          People spent 40 years in the desert before entering the Promised Land.

          Moses spend 40 days and nights at Sinai fasting.

• Jesus responds to the devil's temptations by quoting a passage from Scripture, thereby showing Jesus' reliance to the Word of God. 
• The last temptation is that Jesus could receive (all the kingdoms of the world and their splendour), if only he worshipped Satan rather than God.
• Luke adds, "the devil left Him [Jesus], until an opportune time," thereby implying that the devil returned entering into Judas and testing Peter, but also testing Jesus once again at Gethsemane.

In The Lord's Prayer, Jesus teaches His disciples to pray to God, "and lead us not into temptation" Matthew 6:13; Luke 11:4; and at Gethsemane, Jesus tells His closest disciples to "pray that you may not enter into temptation;" Mark 14:38; Matthew 26:41; Luke 22:40,

Luke 22:46 and He said to them, “Why do you sleep? Rise and pray that you may not enter into temptation.”

• God will faithfully stand by us through our trials: "No testing has overtaken you that is not common to everyone. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tested beyond your strength, but with the testing he will also provide the way out so that you may be able to endure it" 1 Corinthians 10:13.
• The Letter of James 1:12-14 commends Christians who endure temptations and emphasizes that temptations do not come from God, but rather from one's own evil desires.

Luke 4:1  And Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan, and was led by the Spirit for forty days in the wilderness, tempted by the devil.

Mark 1:12  The Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness. 

Jesus is baptized. And this was the plan of God and the Spirit led Jesus to the wilderness to be tempted.
Jesus was to encounter the tempter after Jesus had fasted for 40 days and nights.
A common thing that Satan does is come to us when we are weak-Come to us when things aren't going our way. 

The three temptations that Jesus faced during His time in the desert.

FIRST Temptation

Mark 4:2 And he ate nothing in those days; Mark 9:29 Fasting is a great weapon against Satan. – It is a victory over the flesh. Moses fasted. Elijah fasted.
Mark 4:3 The devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread.” And Jesus answered him, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone.’”

The devil tried to make Jesus waiver in His faith of Who He was. He tired to get Jesus to prove that He was Jesus Christ the Son of God. The devil was attacking the identity- Know who you are. 

Someone who really knows who they are and what they believe, don't have to prove anything to anyone.

The devil was attacking Jesus and trying to get Jesus to question who He was. The devil knows Who Jesus is. But if the devil agreed to admitting that, he couldn't have gone ahead with the trap that he wanted to lay. So what does he come up with, the tricky thing, IF. If you are the Son of God....

The moment he added the "if" this request changed in to a setup. Because if Jesus accepted this request - it would mean that Satan would have succeeded to have made Jesus question Who He was? 

Again remember the devil did not admit that Jesus was the Son of God. He said "if you are" then "turn these stones to bread". What a deceptive question. The tempter will come in different shapes and sizes and different forms and with different strategies. Pray always. Be on guard.

Don’t stumble with the "if" questions. Stand firm knowing who you are in CHRIST.

Jesus answered every temptation with, "It is written." Satan always tries to keep us from knowing God's Word. This mighty weapon - Gods Word when spoken with faith, creates tremors in Hell.

In the first and the third temptation the devil addresses Jesus as the Son Of God. A taunt to use His power, to prove Himself. The devil is using provocation.

The temptation is to change one stone into bread to satisfy the hunger of Jesus. The temptation is to use His Messianic power for Himself. The first temptation is that of putting the need and the comfort of the human body first.

Matthew 4:3 Command these stones to become loaves of bread – recalling The Heavenly Father providing manna in the desert.

Jesus in Matthew 4:4 But he answered, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’”

More than hunger for food is the hunger for God’s love. The Eucharist is the Living Bread. John 6:51

SECOND Temptation

Luke 4:5-8 And the devil took him up, and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time, and said to him, “To you I will give all this authority and their glory; for it has been delivered to me, and I give it to whom I will. If you, then, will worship me, it shall all be yours.” And Jesus answered him, “It is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and him only shall you serve.’”

No mountain name mentioned. An imaginary vision not seeing with the eyes of the body. Jesus was made to imagine Himself as a world ruler. One by one all the kingdoms of the world pass before the eyes of His mind.

The devil is a manipulator and always changes the way he makes his approach. His mode of attack has changed from the first temptation.
Jesus was alone, hungry, and thirsty. The devil seized the opportunity. The condition: "only if you bow down and worship me."
Jesus says, "it is written: worship the Lord your God only." Jesus made it clear that there is only One God that is worthy of our worship.

The devil offers Jesus the power - that The Heavenly Father will give Jesus, after His Resurrection-without going through suffering of His Passion and Death.

The authority that the devil gives is power to control and subject human beings.

Jesus answered him, “It is written, Jesus uses Word Of God to rebuke the devil."

THIRD Temptation

Luke 4:9-12 And he took him to Jerusalem, and set him on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here; for it is written, ‘He will give his angels charge of you, to guard you,’ and ‘On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.’” And Jesus answered him, “It is said, ‘You shall not tempt the Lord your God.’”

Jesus had countered the devil with the Word (in His response) in the first and the second temptation. With a change in strategy the devil now quotes the scripture-Psalms; in order to tempt Jesus.

Jesus states "it is written: do not put the Lord your God to the test" When temptation comes Trust in the Power of The Word alone.

Climax of the temptation scene is in the temple in Jerusalem. For Luke, Jerusalem is the goal of Jesus. The Gospel begins and ends in the temple in Jerusalem.

Question, doubt, put the Father’s love to the test especially after the Father has said in Luke 3:22- “Thou art my beloved Son; with thee I am well pleased.”

• Force the Father to work a miracle. 
• To make the Father do what I want (rather than submit to God’s will)
• Israel’s sin the desert precisely this-they put the Lord to the test. (Exodus 17:1-7)
  

Psalm 91:11-12 For he will give his angels charge of you to guard you in all your ways. On their hands they will bear you up, lest you dash your foot against a stone. The devil quotes the scripture to tempt Jesus. And Jesus answered him, “It is said, … Jesus uses the Word Of God to repel the temptation.

Luke 12:24 - Consider the ravens: they neither sow nor reap,
Luke 12:27 - Consider the lilies, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin;
Luke 12:29 - And do not seek what you are to eat and what you are to drink,
Luke 12:32 - Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.
Luke 11:13 - how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”
Luke 11:2 - And he said to them, “When you pray, say: “Father, hallowed be thy name. 

Opportune Time

Luke 4:13 - And when the devil had ended every temptation, he departed from him until an opportune time.

Satan likes to think that he is tough and he likes to intimidate people. Satan has been defeated.
Luke 4:13 states that the devil left Jesus until an opportune time... The devil will come around again when we he thinks we are at our weakest. When we are alone - When we are tired he'll come. He is an opportunist and will come when he thinks he has the advantage.
The devil will flee if we resist by standing firm on what is written in the Word.

Jesus would continue confronting and overcoming the powers of the devil till the temptation at Jerusalem not to go to the Cross.

Luke 18:31 "Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and everything that is written of the Son of man by the prophets will be accomplished. For he will be delivered to the Gentiles, and will be mocked and shamefully treated and spit upon; they will scourge him and kill him." When Jesus set His face to go to Jerusalem, He set His face to die. To be whipped and beaten and spat, mocked and crucifed-that very thought is hard. The thought to put ourselves into His place and feel what He felt. "Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends" John 15:13.

God planned it all (Jesus' death) out of infinite love to sinners like us at an appointed time. Jesus, the very embodiment of His Father's love for us, saw that the time had come and set His face to fulfill His mission: to die in Jerusalem for our sake. "No one takes my life from me (he said), but I lay it down of my own accord" John 10:18.

Discipleship means following Jesus on the Road to Calvary which leads to suffering and death.

Luke 9:23-24 "If any man would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it; and whoever loses his life for my sake, he will save it."

Notice v57-58 "As they were going along the road, a man said to him, 'I will follow you wherever you go.' And Jesus said to him, 'Foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head."' It is simple: Jesus expects disciples to be like Him. The Road to Calvary is not the road of material prosperity. Don’t seek comfort and luxury.

To God be all praise and Glory! As guided by the Spirit of God!

And explained and included are notes by FR. ASHLYN - Bible Class.

Thank You, Abba Father.
Thank You, Jesus.

Thank You, Holy Spirit.  


Please do read:

To REBUKE or not...
Rebuke 2-Trials
Rebuke-4 The Sacrifice

The celebration of the MASS!

Rebuke 2-Trials

Jesus said, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” When we accept the burden of whatever unjust ways or means, that cross which is ours really becomes His Cross — His burden. “Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and lowly in heart,” Matthew 11:28-29

A yoke placed between two oxen kept both of them yoked together, the load was easier to carry and the work of the farmer done. When Jesus places the burden of the cross upon our shoulders, He Himself shares the load.

We must put aside our own thoughts of how things should be and humbly accept the things we cannot change.

And he called to him the multitude with his disciples, and said to them, “If any man would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it; and whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel’s will save it. 8:34-35.
We think that gain­ing the whole world would be a blessing and yet Jesus expects us to be willing to give it up entirely for His sake, to count it as nothing.
Jesus said, “and he who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me.” Matthew 10:38.

Life presents us with challenges. When troubles come and my heart is burdened and my soul grows so weary, may I always remember that I am never alone. Jesus is always here with each one of us.
Let us remember Abba Father’s voice telling the disciples at the Transfiguration, “This is my beloved Son. Listen to him.”  

In trials God enriches our souls with the greatest graces. 

Advantage point 

The prodigal son, when he found himself under the necessity of feeding swine, and afflicted with hunger, exclaimed-”I will arise and go to my father.” Luke 15:18. Trials takes from our heart all the lures to earthly things and places our mind on the things of Heaven.

Vanity of vanities, everything is vanity. Trials keep us humble and content in the state in which God has placed us.

Job 5:17-18 “Behold, happy is the man whom God reproves; therefore despise not the chastening of the Almighty. For he wounds, but he binds up; he smites, but his hands heal. Job called those men happy whom God corrects by trials; God heals the broken-hearted. Paul gloried God in his tribulations.

Trials remind us of God, and compel us to trust in His mercy. We all undergo different levels of trials and all of us are given the grace that is necessary to pull through.

The beautiful thing about Jesus, is Jesus Himself. I mean there is no one like Him. Period!

HE is absolutely amazing, absolutely incredible. He is totally unpredictable and yet when it comes to His Father, He is completely humble and obedient, always doing the will of His Father, even unto a humiliating death on the CROSS. He is always one with Abba Father and the Holy-Spirit.

HE is the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity. He is The Son of God and He leads with example. Yet when troubles come and you know nothing makes sense. Troubles, they don’t give a warning, they just come from all angles. What do you do?

For one, we do what Jesus did in the garden of Gethsemane, I surrender to God saying, Thy will be done. I never speak of my problems that is in the complaint format. I follow the adage, ‘This too shall pass’.

I am nothing and I have nothing. I am a beggar-when I say something like this, don’t get me wrong. It is always good to believe that everything that is-is God given. I have no control over anything. Everything that is, is God’s. When I know that nothing is in my control, I am saying everything is up to God. I totally am dependent on Him. What God gives, God can take away. Therefore what am I? When I come to realize my nothingness, I know and believe that He is a Sovereign God. And everything was and is always up to Him. I can do all things through Christ, Who strengthens me. Where He leads I follow. My life is in His hands. I can do nothing without Him. Everything is always up to Him.

When I am nothing-I am totally dependent on God my provider. How can I be afraid then? I will fear nothing for my Abba Father, watches over me. Trials are nothing when God is above. One only needs to see with the eyes of faith. And nothing will be IMPOSSIBLE!

Without trials we would not know what it is to be humble, or how it is to be patient, and how it is to surrender to God’s will. God loves a thankful heart.

The soul is made perfect when oppressed by trials. When we are on trial, the Lord is then near us and in our company. He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him. Psalm 91:15.

My God and my All! 

To bear trials
Avoid sin.

Have mercy on me a wretched sinner oh Lord, have mercy.

It is necessary to know that every trial, though it may come from men, has come with the consent of God. And remember, God gives us grace to overcome the temptation or trial. Everything that comes our way, works for our betterment, even though we seldom look at it that way.

When surrounded with trials, we must turn to God. We should be persistent and persevere in our prayer to Him. We must keep our eyes fixed onto God, and must continually implore until He is moved to compassion.

All good, all help must come from God. God will grant us the grace which we desire or He will give us grace to resign ourselves to His Divine will.

Why does God allow suffering?

Philippians 3:8-11 - “Indeed I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as refuse, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own, based on law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God depends on faith; that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his suffering, becoming like him in his death, that if possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead”

Paul understands that the suffering he endures serves as a way to be like Christ. Through his suffering, he sees himself as participating in the Passion of Christ.

Galatians 2:20 - “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me; and the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. Christ lives in him when he is ‘crucified with Christ.’

For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. Philippians 1:21

Paul suffers in this life as he is imitating Christ and thus becoming more Christ-like.

  

Paul thought of suffering as a means for sanctification, keeping pride at a lowest and trust in God at a maximum. He says: “And to keep me from being too elated by the abundance of revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan, to harass me, to keep me from being too elated. Three times I besought the Lord about this, that it should leave me; but he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." I will all the more gladly boast of my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities; for when I am weak, then I am strong. ” 2 Corinthians 12:7-10.

It is in our weakness and suffering that we grow in humility and we cannot pride ourselves in our accomplishments. It is through grace that Paul can be content with suffering. 

In suffering, when united to Christ, death means life. 1 Corinthians 1:18: “For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God”
The cross, is the perfect example of the suffering of Christ. Galatians 6:14 - But far be it from me to glory except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. Galatians 6:17 - Henceforth let no man trouble me; for I bear on my body the marks of Jesus.

Paul shared the key to his contentment: I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound; in any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and want. Philippians 4:12

Paul suffered greatly. He experienced emotional and physical hardships. There were reasons he could be bitter, but he chose to become better. Paul learned to empty himself so that he could be filled with God. In life we will suffer, be misunderstood. We will experience the struggles in life. Paul shows us the way to discipleship.

When we make the choice to trust the Lord - and learn to walk through these troubled times in Him - we will find the path to contentment.

REMEMBER: Let us remember - the commandment that the 'Almighty God' gave:
'walk before me, and be blameless.'


Please do read:
To REBUKE or not...
Rebuke 3-The Wilderness
Rebuke-4 The Sacrifice

The celebration of the MASS!